US strikes Iran-backed Shiite militia targets in Iraq

Jurf Al Sakhar area south of Baghdad hit with no immediate reports of casualties

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US forces struck three sites used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq early on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced.

Mr Austin said President Joe Biden had directed US military forces to conduct “necessary and proportionate” strikes on facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.

“These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias,” Mr Austin said in a statement.

The US military’s Central Command said the strikes occurred at 12:15am on Wednesday.

They targeted Kata’ib Hezbollah headquarters, storage and training locations for rocket, missile and one-way attack drones, Centcom said on X.

Two militia sources in Iraq told media that at least five strikes hit targets in the town of Jurf Al Sakhar south of Baghdad. There was no immediate word of any casualties and the Pentagon did not immediately disclose what weapons were used.

The strikes came after an attack on Tuesday against US forces at Al Asad airbase in western Iraq. A US defence official confirmed that attack occurred, but did not provide additional detail. Another attack at the same base on Saturday injured four US personnel.

The latest US strikes in Iraq are likely to provoke an angry reaction in the country, which sees such actions as undermining its sovereignty.

On January 4, the US killed a militia commander in eastern Baghdad after he had conducted attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, leading to renewed calls for Iraq to request American forces to leave Iraq.

In recent months, tension has soared between US troops and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria following scores of attacks against Americans forces in the two countries.

The attacks began after the outbreak of the Gaza war that shattered the year-long calm between the militias and US forces that followed the establishment of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani’s government.

The militias say their attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria are in response to Washington’s support for Israel in its fight against Hamas.